Prost! It's Oktoberfest

Ways the German holiday is celebrated.

Oktoberfest began in Munich, Germany, in 1810 with the wedding feast of Princess Therese and Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig. The initial celebration soon became a tradition for the townspeople and is still celebrated today around the world.

Out of the hundreds of Oktoberfest celebrations hosted in the United States each year, the Gayot Guide to the Good Life selected a handful as the must-see events celebrated from coast to coast, including Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio; Torrance Oktoberfest in Torrance, Calif.; and New Ulm Oktoberfest in New Ulm, Minn.

Located 90 miles south of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, New Ulm was founded in 1854 by German-Americans and has maintained its German roots. New Ulm Chamber member Terry Sveine, Holiday Inn manager Rick Neumann, and Schell Brewery marketing and sales manager Kyle Marti said the 32-year-old New Ulm festival has expanded over two weekends and noted that wireless technology and social media help spread the word.

For those unable to make it to New Ulm or one of the other top Oktoberfest celebrations across the U.S., smartphones can help bring the event to revelers.

Through the Oktoberfest.de app, which provides access to live streaming webcams from Munich, the latest news on the event, and information on food and beverage tents users can feel like they are standing in the middle of all the action.

Foodies can learn all the secrets of German cooking that grandma didn’t share with the German Recipes app. With more than 2,000 home-style recipes, cooks can start their own at-home Oktoberfest feast, including all the traditional flavors of bratwurst, beef and potatoes and soft pretzels.

“O’zapft is,” which translates to “It’s tapped,” is the cheer that commences all the Oktoberfest activities – and a nod to tapping the first beer keg. With the World of Beer app, learn about Germany’s five dozen beer styles such as pilsner, bock, hefeweizen and, of course, Oktoberfestbier.